Aide may be giving mother her meds without our knowledge. How to know for sure and what to do?

In my State, they do allow CNAs to be trained as Medtechs. It seems my State is not the only one. So, a CNA can dispense medication if are Certified to do so.


States that Provide Extended Training and Program Requirements for CNAs

Depending on the state of your practice, states that provide special programs for CNAs require six months to one year of full-time work experience, a 45 to a 100-hour training program in medication administration, the completion of skills lab training and a strong passing grade on the state competency or state board examination. States that allow extended duties and special training for CNAs include:
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
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Nebraska
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New York
North Carolina
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Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin

CNAs are not Medically trained. As such they cannot dispense pills. They should not do pill planners. They remind the client they do not hand the medication to the client. They can hand the pill planner to the patient. They can open it and empty the pills into the persons hand but they cannot handle the meds in anyway. Actually, IMO, they should not have access to the pill bottles at all. If this person is not a Certified aide, she definitely should not be handling meds.

I personally can't take Tylenol PM. Even though its not suppose to make u feel "out of it" in the morning, it does me. This aide is jeopardizing her career if she is Certified. In my State CNAs are overseen by the Nursing board. So a complaint can be filed with them.

A blood test will show what meds are in her system and if getting the correct amounts and correct meds.

You discovered once before that this same aide was giving your mother a medication that had or had not been prescribed or bought for your mother? And for what reason?

If in all seriousness this aide was giving your mother a medication that was not prescribed for your mother, authorised for your mother or requested by your mother for pain relief, then how in heaven's name is she still in your employment?

Your consent, by the way though, is not an issue. If your mother wants an appropriate medication for pain relief there's nothing wrong with that. If your mother wants an appropriate medication to improve her quality of sleep, then she should consult her doctor (and you should help her to do that). Obviously it is not okay for an aide to dope her client so as not to be disturbed, but consider all the reasons why your mother may be accepting or even requesting medications before you jump to that conclusion.

Why do you believe this aide is at it again, if I can put it like that?

Since your end goal is your mother’s safety and overall welfare, I’d look for someone to replace her.

The ingredient that causes sleep (which I can’t spell), can be very unhelpful for the elderly with dementia.

No matter how “good” the aide may be, that would be a “mistake” that would be VERY hard to forgive.